Bollywood

Mumbai,
the City of Dreams, houses the prime centre of Hindi Film Industry,
better known as Bollywood. Acclaimed as one of the biggest film
industries of the world, Bollywood produces over 1000 films every year.
Since 1913, Indian Cinema has made a long journey from simple silent
movies to sound films, then colored films to technically advanced movies
of the present day. Bollywood imbibed its name from the merger of the
term Bombay (now Mumbai) and Hollywood, the American Film Industry.

Another point worth-mentioning is that Bollywood is just the part of
Indian Film Industry, which also encompasses other language film
industries. The movies churned out here are the major source of
entertainment, with an audience of 3.6 billion people, which is more
than half of the world's population. Bypassing the reality, Hindi films
are usually 'masala' (spicy) movies that comprise all the ingredients
like music, dance, violence and melodrama of a good entertainer. The
languages of Hindi, Urdu and English are extremely common in Bollywood.

Potpourri of Various Elements of Life
Infact, numerous English films have also been produced by the directors
of India. Not only English, sometimes, one can find amalgamation of a
number of Indian languages in a single film, whether in its dialogues,
subtitles or soundtracks. The films of Bollywood are typically musicals
that have some or the other catchy music woven into the script. Good
music, in the form of songs and dance numbers, is the main attribute of
a successful film.

The plot of movies is, more often than not, melodramatic. It usually has
features like unlucky lovers and angry parents, love triangles, family
attachments, sacrifice, crooked politicians, kidnappers, devious
villains, courtesans with golden-hearts, long-lost relatives, theatrical
reversals of destiny, siblings estranged by fate and opportune
coincidences. Though the pattern is changing, films with hilarious
stunts, technically advanced films, and art films are being produced.

Evolution The first silent feature film of India was Raja
Harishchandra (1913), which was made by Dadasaheb Phalke. It was by the
1930's that the industry started producing more than 200 films every
year. Alam Ara (1931) was the first Indian sound film, produced by
Ardeshir Irani. With the bang of the Great Depression, World War II, the
Indian Independence Movement and the Partition Violence, Bollywood
suffered and then emerged with plots of social issues and independence
struggle.

By the late 1950s, the first color films of the Bollywood were released.
During this period, the films were defined by sumptuous romantic
musicals and melodramas. The period of late 1960s and early 1970s gave
rise to romantic movies, action films and violent films. In the mid
1990's, the box-office was stroked by family-centric romantic musicals
once again. The quality, cinematography, innovative story lines and
technical quality advances of the filmmaking have taken Indian cinema to
great heights.

21st century Bollywood
The 21st century brought immense popularity to the Bollywood, so much
so that its films appeal the audience of all segments. Owing to aperture
of the abroad market, more movies are released abroad and in
cine-multiplexes that cause wider box office successes in India and
overseas.

Interesting Facts about Bollywood

Production-wise, Bollywood is the largest film industry in the
world with over 1000 films produced every year.

Its movies are watched by almost 14 million Indians everyday. ]

Raja Harishchandra (1913) was the first silent feature film of
India.

'Alam Ara' - the first Indian sound film was released in 1931.

Kisan Kanya (1937) was the first colored movie produced in India.

'Kagaz ke Phool' (1959) was the first cinemascope film of
Bollywood.

The first 70 MM film of Bollywood was 'Around the World'.

The first 3D movie in Hindi was 'Shiva ka Insaaf'.

'Noorjahan' (1931) was the first Indian English film.

Every year, Bollywood movies are celebrated in no less than 6
award functions.